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WAC Allows Utah Valley to Play After Court Confirms $1 Million Escrow Is Underway

A Utah judge's injunction tied tournament eligibility to a $1 million deposit held by the court.

Overview

  • After warning it would reissue brackets without Utah Valley, the WAC said it received assurance from the Utah court that the $1 million escrow would be completed before the first games.
  • Relying on that assurance, the WAC board cleared Utah Valley's men's and women's teams to compete in Las Vegas as the basketball tournaments begin Wednesday.
  • Utah Valley is departing the WAC for the Big West in 2026–27, prompting the conference to sue in Texas over an alleged $1 million exit fee while the school sought relief in Utah.
  • Utah’s Fourth Judicial District granted temporary and preliminary injunctions allowing participation, conditioned on depositing the disputed fee into court-controlled escrow and restoring media access.
  • The men's team is the No. 1 seed with a bye to Friday's semifinals, the women's team is the No. 4 seed, and the funds will remain in escrow as the cross-state litigation proceeds.